“When did you learn the surgeon's name?”
“Not until last week, when that kid attacked him and the news said he'd known Devane. Light bulb on. Two plus two. So I started watching him, too, and got a bonus. The punk.”
“Casey Locking.”
“My other judge. I was never really sure if he was in on the plan but I suspected because he was sucking up to Devane. Once I knew, he was history. I got his file from the psych department, learned his address. I already knew where Cruvic lived because that's where I'd seen him with the punk- his house up on Mulholland. So I started watching Locking.”
“Saving Cruvic for last.”
“You bet.”
“Tell me about Locking.”
“Another easy one- it's so easy.”
“Probably harder to act it out.”
“Definitely… where was I?”
“Locking.”
“Locking. I followed him home, walked into the house, and shot him.”
“Why a gun and not a knife?”
“Three reasons,” he said, pleased to answer. “A. I know cops are into M.O. and I didn't want it to be obvious that the same person had done him and the girls. B. Stabbing was for the women, it just didn't feel right for him, and C. I'd already gotten rid of the knife.”
“Where?”
“Tossed it off the Santa Monica Pier.”
“You could have bought another one.”
“Hey,” he said, grinning. “Starving artist.”
“What about the photos framing Locking's body?”
“Another bonus. Showing the world what she was like- what they were all like. Do you believe that stuff? Sick.”
“So what was your plan? To get Cruvic?”
“Him and the asshole using my kidney. I figured to learn everything, eventually. Perform a little surgery of my own, take back what was mine.”
The deputy said, “Two minutes.”
Muscadine mouthed Screw you to his back and smiled at me. “So how're we doing?”
“Fine,” I said. “I appreciate your forthrightness.”
“Hey, only way to go. Tell the truth, it feels good to finally unload.”
Oster was just outside the prison's main door. The line was still long.
“Well?” he said.
“Well what?”
“I instructed him to cooperate.”
“He did.”
“What do you think?”
“Gruesome.”
“I'll say. So does it fit?”
“Does what fit?”
“Is there severe mental anguish?”
“Definitely,” I said, shaking my head. “No shortage of anguish.”
“Good,” he said. “Great. Gotta go, we'll talk more.”
He hurried into the jail.
Instead of returning home, I drove to a restaurant on Sixth Street where I ordered lunch- nice big one: Caesar salad, T-bone steak medium rare, home fries, creamed spinach, their best burgundy by the glass.
While I waited for the food, I opened my briefcase and took out a yellow pad.
As I sipped the wine, I began.
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION:REED MUSCADINEPRISONER #464555532EXAMINER: ALEXANDER DELAWARE, PH.D.
I wrote for a long time.
Jonathan Kellerman
Jonathan Kellerman is one of the world's most popular authors. He has brought his expertise as a child psychologist to numerous bestselling tales of suspense (which have been translated into two dozen languages), including thirteen previous Alex Delaware novels; The Butcher's Theater, a story of serial killing in Jerusalem; and Billy Straight, featuring Hollywood homicide detective Petra Connor. His new novel, Flesh and Blood, will be published in hardcover in fall 2001. He is also the author of numerous essays, short stories, and scientific articles, two children's books, and three volumes of psychology, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children. He and his wife, the novelist Faye Kellerman, have four children.
